--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We actually killed the thing.” “Sad, I…" description: "\"“We actually killed the thing.” “Sad, I know,” she said, feeling depressed. “It was beautiful.” “It would be more beautiful if it hadn't tried to eat m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/brandon-sanderson-112_feeling-depressed_we-actually-killed-the-thing-sad-i-know_2401945.jpg" --- # We actually killed the thing.” “Sad, I know,” she said… ![“We actually killed the thing.” “Sad, I know,” she said, feeling depressed. “It was beautiful.” “It would be more beautiful if it hadn't tried to eat me.” “From my perspective,” Shallan noted, “it didn't try, it succeeded.” “Nonsense,” Kaladin said. “It didn't manage to swallow me. Doesn't count.” quote by Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/brandon-sanderson-112_feeling-depressed_we-actually-killed-the-thing-sad-i-know_2401945.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/brandon-sanderson-112_feeling-depressed_we-actually-killed-the-thing-sad-i-know_2401945.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/brandon-sanderson-112_feeling-depressed_we-actually-killed-the-thing-sad-i-know_2401945.jpg) > ““We actually killed the thing.” “Sad, I know,” she said, feeling depressed. “It was beautiful.” “It would be more beautiful if it hadn't tried to eat me.” “From my perspective,” Shallan noted, “it didn't try, it succeeded.” “Nonsense,” Kaladin said. “It didn't manage to swallow me. Doesn't count.”” [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Characters debate the value of a defeated creature, mixing awe with fear, and question what counts as victory. **In simple terms:** Debates whether killing something beautiful is worthwhile. Key Takeaway Consider the moral weight of triumph over fear. Themes ethics victory beauty Mood thoughtful somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - combat decisions - ethical dilemmas - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy psychology fictional conflict Questions to Reflect On - Is a victory meaningful without understanding? - What defines true success? A Different Perspective Might ignore the creature's intrinsic worth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feeling depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-depressed/) [Kaladin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kaladin/) [Shallan-davar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shallan-davar/) ## Related quotes > [“Humans don’t make sense.” “If you’re only now learning that,” Kaladin said, “then you haven’t been paying attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/humans-don-t-make-sense-if-you-re-only-now-learning-that-kaladin-said/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If the afterlife really is a big war,” Kaladin said, “then I hope I end up in Damnation. At least there I might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-the-afterlife-really-is-a-big-war-kaladin-said-then-i-hope-i-end/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Kaladin frowned. “Wait. Are you wearing cologne? In prison?” “Well, there was no need to be barbaric, just because I was incarcerated.” “Storms, you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/kaladin-frowned-wait-are-you-wearing-cologne-in-prison-well-there-was/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“How . . .” Dalinar said. “You fell into a chasm!” “I fell face-first, sir,” Kaladin said, “and fortunately, I’m particularly hard-headed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/how-dalinar-said-you-fell-into-a-chasm-i-fell-face-first-sir-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [ “Storms, woman,” \[Kaladin\] said. “I don’t know what to make of you.” “Preferably not a corpse.” “I’m surprised someone hasn't already done that.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/storms-woman-kaladin-said-i-don-t-know-what-to-make-of-you-preferably/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Fleet kept running,” Kaladin growled, getting back under Elhokar’s arm. “What?” “He couldn't win, but he kept running. And when the storm caught him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/fleet-kept-running-kaladin-growled-getting-back-under-elhokar-s-arm/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I have full requisition right from the quartermasters too,” Kaladin said, ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-have-full-requisition-right-from-the-quartermasters-too-kaladin-said/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“You still think I’m too optimistic, don’t you?” Shallan said. “It’s not your fault,” Kaladin said. “I’d rather be like you. I’d rather not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-still-think-i-m-too-optimistic-don-t-you-shallan-said-it-s-not/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Storms, boy. What did you do? Hit a lighteyes?” “Yes,” Kaladin said. Then punched him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/storms-boy-what-did-you-do-hit-a-lighteyes-yes-kaladin-said-then/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [What did you put in the fire?" Kaladin said. "To make that special smoke?" "Nothing. It was just and ordinary fire." "But, I saw-"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/what-did-you-put-in-the-fire-kaladin-said-to-make-that-special-smoke/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I need you, Teft,” Kaladin said. “I said—” “Not your food. You. Your loyalty. Your allegiance.” The older man continued to eat. He didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-need-you-teft-kaladin-said-i-said-not-your-food-you-your-loyalty/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“You want me to lead the caravan?” “Instructions will be acceptable.” “All right. First, find a cliff.” “That, it will give you a vantage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-want-me-to-lead-the-caravan-instructions-will-be-acceptable-all/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I’m mysterious,” Kaladin said. “I used to think you were. Then I found out you don’t like good puns—it’s truly possible to know too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-m-mysterious-kaladin-said-i-used-to-think-you-were-then-i-found-out/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Tradition is the blind witness they use to condemn us, Teft,” Kaladin said. “It’s the pretty box they use to wrap up their lies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/tradition-is-the-blind-witness-they-use-to-condemn-us-teft-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why do we fight, Kal? Why do we keep going?” “I don’t know,” Kaladin whispered. “I’ve forgotten.” “It’s so we can be with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-do-we-fight-kal-why-do-we-keep-going-i-don-t-know-kaladin/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More by Brandon Sanderson > [“I’ll admit, Jasnah, that I empathize with your skepticism, but I don’t agree with it. I just think you've been looking for God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-ll-admit-jasnah-that-i-empathize-with-your-skepticism-but-i-don-t/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [They say a man doesn't know himself until he faces death for the first time. . . I don't know about that. It seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/they-say-a-man-doesn-t-know-himself-until-he-faces-death-for-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Why, Elend! That’s almost romantic—in a twisted ‘I’m going to make my wife want to kill me’ sort of way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/why-elend-that-s-almost-romantic-in-a-twisted-i-m-going-to-make-my/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“And...how much are we getting paid for achieving the impossible?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/and-how-much-are-we-getting-paid-for-achieving-the-impossible/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elantris was the one place where she could remember feeling unconditional acceptance. She had not been a princess, she had been something far better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elantris-was-the-one-place-where-she-could-remember-feeling/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Elend smiled. "Oh, come on. You have to admit that you're unusual, Vin. You're like some strange mixture of a noblewoman, a street urchin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/elend-smiled-oh-come-on-you-have-to-admit-that-you-re-unusual-vin-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“That is always how it is, though, isn't it?” Shuden asked. “Those who can least afford extravagance seem to be the ones most determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/that-is-always-how-it-is-though-isn-t-it-shuden-asked-those-who-can/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“He says he’s letting the Stormfather judge you,” Moash added. “Jezerezeh, king of Heralds. He says that if you deserve to live, you will….”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-says-he-s-letting-the-stormfather-judge-you-moash-added-jezerezeh/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“The stories say the Nightwatcher might be capable of that. . . . Powerful spren. Vast spren.’ ‘Is he calling me vast?’ Syl said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/the-stories-say-the-nightwatcher-might-be-capable-of-that-powerful/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“But the mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-the-mark-of-a-great-man-is-one-who-knows-when-to-set-aside-the/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“If you're always on time, it implies that you never have anything better you should be doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/if-you-re-always-on-time-it-implies-that-you-never-have-anything/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [You are inexperienced. So was I, once. So is every man. The measure of a person is not how much they have lived. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/you-are-inexperienced-so-was-i-once-so-is-every-man-the-measure-of-a/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“So I should not hate Adolin Kholin for wielding a corpse!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/so-i-should-not-hate-adolin-kholin-for-wielding-a-corpse/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) [Explore all 1,238 Brandon Sanderson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) ## More Feeling depressed quotes > [“I stroll into the kitchen. Bull's making lunch. He's actually no relation to me, though secretly I look on him as my big brother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-condon/i-stroll-into-the-kitchen-bull-s-making-lunch-he-s-actually-no/) [Bill Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-condon/) > [Any kind of self-concern, including a self-concern that leads one to shut down and give up (as, for example, a fear to fail) is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-ferrell/any-kind-of-self-concern-including-a-self-concern-that-leads-one-to/) James E. Ferrell > [When I am feeling depressed and anxious sullen all you have to do is take off your clothes and all is wiped away revealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/when-i-am-feeling-depressed-and-anxious-sullen-all-you-have-to-do-is/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [When you're feeling down and depressed there's always going to be those who want to make you worse. But look for those who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-feeling-down-and-depressed-there-s-always-going-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mum taught me to knit when I was a child, and I turn to it, for some weird reason, when I'm feeling depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/my-mum-taught-me-to-knit-when-i-was-a-child-and-i-turn-to-it-for-some/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Every man has his secret sorrows...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/every-man-has-his-secret-sorrows/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [You need self-confidence and determination: feeling depressed and losing hope will never really help to correct any situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/you-need-self-confidence-and-determination-feeling-depressed-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Statistically, there have to be more gay men in rugby than we know about and I would hate for them to be going home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haskell/statistically-there-have-to-be-more-gay-men-in-rugby-than-we-know/) [James Haskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haskell/) > [“Did you know you actually get to decide how long you will experience any emotion Although your initial reaction to an unpleasant sad or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-augustine/did-you-know-you-actually-get-to-decide-how-long-you-will-experience/) [Sue Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-augustine/) > [I smoked, I choked forever joked, inhealed, exhealed, but never healed. i said it was because of stress and always feeling depressed. 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